1 Kings 5-6 – Solomon Builds the Temple

God made advance preparation before Solomon started building the temple.  God had given Solomon’s father, David the building plans and David had prepared a lot of the materials needed.  God had given Solomon rest from any military threats so he could now begin building the temple.

Hiram king of Tyre was as friend of David’s and had helped him build his palace.  Solomon asked if he would help build the temple.  The two made an agreement that Hiram would provide the wood and some craftsmen.  Solomon would supply wheat and oil for Hiram’s household.  Many other people also helped build the temple.  It was an honor to carry out this work for the Lord.   The temple was viewed as one of Solomon’s greatest contributions. 

Are you blessed with special skills?

How are you using them for God’s work?

In the 4^th year of Solomon’s reign he began to build the temple.  This was 480 years after the exodus of Israel from Egypt.  He built it on Mount Moriah.  This is not the only time we read about Mount Moriah.  In Genesis 22:1-8 God told Abraham to go there and sacrifice his son Isaac, but God intervened and spared Isaac by providing a lamb for the sacrifice.  In 2 Samuel 24:18-25 David built an altar there.  Jesus was crucified on that same mountain.  God provided a sacrificial lamb for Abraham and He provided Jesus as the sacrificial lamb for us.

Principle:  God always provides.

The temple was 60 cubits long, 20 wide and 30 high.  It had many rooms and floors.  Chapter 6 gives full details of the construction of the temple.  The most important room was the inner sanctuary called “The Most Holy Place” or Holy of Holies.  This was the resting place for the Ark of the Covenant and the place of annual atonement for the nation’s sin.  It was overlaid with pure gold which reflected God’s rich beauty and incomparable value.  The Most Holy Place was symbol of God’s reigning presence among His people.

They used only blocks dressed at the quarry meaning no hammer, chisel or any other tools were heard at the temple site.  Maybe this was because Solomon wanted it to be a place of reverence for the house of God’s building project making it relative quiet.  Pounding hammer noises would not show respect or reverence.  It’s the same today in our churches.  There should be an attitude of reverence and worship with only rejoicing and praising.

How do you show reverence when you enter your church?

I think we’ve lost reverence in our churches today.  I remember when women wore dresses, hats and even veils.  We definitely didn’t were flip flops and short shorts.  We dressed in our best not like we were going to play golf.   When entering and attending church we were expected to do it in a quiet respectful manner.  Men removed their hats when inside churches or any other building.  I know it’s may seem stuffy to some people to dress and act this way, but remember we are entering a holy place and we are meeting God’s Spirit.  So where’s the reverence and awe?  I’m not saying it’s all about our dress, because we can worship in any kind of clothing as long as we worship in sincerity and in truth. (John 4:24).  When we consider the sinfulness of the worshipers and the holiness of God, there’s no room for disrespect.  He is God and we are not.

“The Lord is in His holy temple:  let all the earth keep silence before Him.” – Hab. 2:20.

“Worship the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with trembling.” – Ps. 2:11.

Ways to show reverence in church –

Be punctual – don’t stroll in 15-20 minutes late.  This disturbs others as they worship.  Being on time shows respect not only to God, but to others.

Be prepared – worshipers need time and opportunity to prepare themselves for participation in worship.

Don’t bring food or drink into the sanctuary – surely you can go 1 hour without coffee.  Drinks get spilled and it’s disrespectful to God and other worshipers.

Dress for church – in our culture it seems we are dressing down instead of up.  The way we dress speaks volumes about who we are and how we view God and His house.

Keep quiet – it’s very annoying for the people around you if you are constantly talking during church.

I guess I’m on my soap box now.  There one other thing that really bothers me.  What about our habitual speech when we use God’s Name in vain?  It seems to be common today to say, “Oh my God” or “Jesus” as slang in our conversations.  God’s name alone is holy and should be reverend.  “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” – Ex. 20:7

The Word of the Lord came to Solomon, if he followed the Lord’s decrees, carried out His regulations, and kept all His commands and obey them, the Lord would fulfill through him the promise given to David.  The Lord would live among the Israelites and not abandon them.  God knew the mistakes Solomon was about to make so this was a warning to him before he chooses to make those mistakes.

Solomon spared no expense in building the temple.  He wanted it to be great because God is greater than all other gods.  The foundation of the temple was laid in the 4th year.  In the 11 year it was finished in all its details according to its specification.  It took 7 years in total to build the temple.  Solomon was the temple’s architect, but the plans were not his own.  He used the plans David had already made through the Spirit of God (1 Chron. 28:11-12).  Hebrews 9:24 explains the reason for this arrangement.  It was a copy of the real temple in heaven. 

The period of Solomon’s temple lasted for 410 years until it was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (2 Kings 25). 

The temple emphasized the presence of God in the midst of His people.  He was always there and accessible.  The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place emphasized God’s holiness and His inaccessibility due to the sins of the people.  When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain or barrier of the temple between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place was torn in two.  This symbolized that God is now open to all through the death of Christ.  Now blood of an animal is no longer needed for forgiveness of sin.

The temple is called the house of the Lord.  1 Cor. 3:16 tells us that Christians are God’s temple.  God’s Spirit lives in Christians.  Eph. 2:19-22 tells us the church is the temple of God and Jesus is the foundation or the strong base.  Christians are like the stones of the temple where the Holy Spirit lives.  2 Cor. 6:12 reminds us that we should honor God with our bodies.  God has promised to never leave us.  We are to obey His commands and follow His decrees.  Remembering that His Spirit dwells in us helps us realize what an awesome privilege it is.

Where and what is the temple today?

·         Christ Himself is the true temple. 

·         Every believer is a living temple where the Spirit of God dwells.

·         The church is a temple enriched and beautified not with gold and precious stones, but with the Spirit’s gifts and graces. 

·         Heaven is the everlasting temple where the church will be fixed and no longer moveable.

Solomon finished the work that God gave him to do. 

Are you finishing the work God has given you? 

Are you committed to God’s work? 

How can you work and serve in a way that reflects the greatness of God?

Principle:  We are to finish the work God has given us.

Next time we will continue our study of 1 Kings.  Hope to see you here.

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1 Kings 3-4

1 Kings 3:1-15 – Wise Request

Solomon made a treaty with the king of Egypt and married his daughter.  Solomon had many foreign wives which would turn his heart after other gods and make his heart not loyal to the Lord, which we will learn in 1 Kings 11.  He did love the Lord, but he also loved foreign wives who helped turn his heart away.  His marriage to the Egyptian princess was the beginning of his moving in the wrong direction.

Solomon brought his Egyptian wife to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord.  Solomon and the people were offering sacrifices in the high places.  These high places were known for worship of foreign gods.  They were not offering sacrifices to the wrong gods, but offering them to the Lord in the wrong places.  Solomon was in Gibeon, which was the most important high place where God appeared to Solomon in a dream.  Instead of rebuking Solomon, God offered anything he wished.  Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern and to distinguish between right and wrong.

God was pleased with Solomon’s wish, because he didn’t ask for a long life or wealth for himself.  Solomon was young and knew he lacked wisdom so that’s what he asked God for.  God gave him wisdom and also riches and honor.  If Solomon walked in the Lord’s ways, he would also be given a long life, but we know he didn’t and died at 60 years old.  Solomon woke up and realized it was all a dream.  He returned to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices and offerings.  Then he gave a feast for all his court. 

What kinds of things do you pray for?

Do you pray for material things or for a mind and spirit to discern God’s way to live?

We know that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived.  His wealth and power were known by all.  So we know that Solomon received his dream.  Scripture doesn’t say that the Spirit came upon on him like He did David when he was anointed king, which tells me that we need not have a spectacular experience in order to be empowered by the Spirit.

Solomon showed wisdom in handling a dispute between two women who claimed the same child as their own.  These two women came to Solomon to settle their dispute.  Both had a child, but one accidentally suffocated in the night.  He settled it by threatening to cut the child in half and give each half to each woman.  The mother of the dead child was willing to accept Solomon’s judgment.  The mother of the living child was willing to give him up in order to save him.  Then Solomon knew that the boy was her child and gave him to his true mother.  When the people heard the verdict, they were in awe of such a wise ruling.

1 Kings 3:16 – 4:1-34 – Wise Reign

We see Solomon’s administrative wisdom as he chose his governors and officials.  Israel prospered and grew in number.  Solomon was rich and during his lifetime the people lived in safety.  God gave Solomon wisdom and great insight and understanding.  He was given many gifts and abilities.  He wrote 3,000 proverbs and over 1,000 songs.  He taught about animals, birds, reptiles and fish.  All nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.  We will see in the next chapter that he had great wisdom as a builder.

Solomon’s reign hinted at the Messiah’s glorious kingdom:

   Solomon was wise; Jesus embodied divine wisdom.

   Solomon reigned in peace; Jesus guarantees eternal peace.

   Solomon’s people enjoyed satisfaction; Jesus promises to satisfy 

   us forever.

Principle:  True wisdom loves and desires God above everything.

Do you seek God’s wisdom?

Will you seek His ways over your life?

How are you using the gifts God has given you?

We all wish we had everything we dreamed of.  The Bible says:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” – Matt. 7:7.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” – John 15:7

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” – 1 John 5:14.

Principle:  Seek God before anything or anyone and trust Him to provide.

God loved Solomon and chose him as king.  Solomon loved God and desired to obey Him.  God wanted to bless Solomon, because He knew his heart.  God gave him great wisdom and wealth, but Solomon made choices that would set his course away from God.  It started with his marriage to a foreign princess of Egypt.  Sin would weaken his kingdom, but God continued to use him to bless His people.

How do the pleasures of life distract you from God and His goodness?

When have you dishonored God through partial obedience?

Next time we will continue our study of 1 Kings.  Hope to see you here.

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1 Kings 1-2

Like 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book.  We don’t really know who wrote these books, but it is thought to have been Jeremiah, Ezra, or Ezekiel.  1 Kings 1 describes the final days of David.  1 Kings 2 begins with Solomon as king and establishes himself as a strong wise leader.

1 Kings 1 – Solomon Crowned

We learned that David was not always the greatest father and we see this again in this chapter the actions of his son Adonijah.  “His father had never interfered with him by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’  He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom” – 1 Kings 1:6  He failed to discipline Absalom who committed treason, Amnon who raped his half sister Tamar, and Adonijah is now plotting to take over the throne.  This is very true today.  We’ve all heard, ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’.  This comes from Prov. 13:24, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”  David and his sons are perfect examples of this.  Children must be disciplined or there be bad consequences in the future.

Are you disciplining your children because you love them or are you encouraging them to be self-centered and disrespectful?

Adonijah was the 4^th son of David.  Absalom killed his brother Amnon and Joab, the captain of the army killed Absalom.  Now Adonijah was the oldest and was in line to be king.  So he decided to make himself king since David was up in his years and didn’t have long to live.  Usually it was the custom that the oldest son was considered the heir to the throne.  This was not true for Israel.  It was God who determined the next king, but Adonijah exalted himself as king.  

David was about 70 years, but it seemed he was older than his years.  He had a hard life of fighting many battles and a history marked by treachery and murder.  He was weak and couldn’t seem to stay warm so his servants brought in a beautiful young woman, Abishog to lay with him to keep him warm although they were never intimate.  In those times it was believed by keeping a person warm was a good medical treatment.

Like David and his brother Absalom, Adonijah was very handsome and appealing to the people.  He enlisted chariots, horses, and men to make himself look good and powerful.  He enlisted the support important and influential people.  Even Joab supported him.  Joab had been loyal to David, but was always selfish and cruel with strong ambitions.  None of Adonijah’s supporters consulted the Lord or David before giving their support to Adonijah.   Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and David’s special guard Benaiah did not join Adonijah. 

Adonijah sacrificed sheep and cattle and had a party hoping to encourage others to support him.  He invited all his brothers except Nathan, Benaiah and his brother Solomon.  By offering sacrifices he wanted people to think he wanted to serve God.  Nathan warned Bathsheba what Adonijah was up to and thought he might kill her and Solomon so they devised a plan to tell David.  She asked David to remember his previous promise that Solomon would become the next king and to immediately appoint him king without waiting for David’s death.  David kept his promise and made Solomon king.

Do you remember to keep your promises?

David anointed Solomon as king before Adonijah and his guests finished their meal.  David had Solomon ride on the king’s mule, be anointed by the priest.  Then the trumpet was blown and the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”  Trumpets sounded and the people shouted with joy.  When Adonijah and his guests heard the noise, they left quickly because they knew the people supported King Solomon and they were afraid they would be punished.  Adonijah ran to the altar to seek God’s protection.  When Solomon heard this he made a wise decision, because he knew Adonijah was well liked.  He decided not to punish Adonijah, but commanded him to be loyal or he would die.

Do you run to God when you know you’ve sinned?

Did you truly repent or was it only out of fear?

Solomon went against the custom of killing anyone who would tried to take over the throne.  He showed Adonijah mercy and gave him the opportunity to avoid punishment.  Jesus gives us the opportunity to avoid the punishment we deserve.  He offers us complete forgiveness and mercy.  All we have to do is ask forgiveness for our sins and believe and trust in Him.

David should have made it known to all his sons and the people that Solomon was to be the next king.  Then maybe all the threats and deceptions of his sons trying to take the throne would have not happened.

Are you like Adonijah and try to follow your own plans to get that you want?

Do you gossip and slander others so you will look good?

Do you push others out of the way to get to the place you want?

How are you preparing your children for the future?

Are you teaching them about Jesus, Savior of the world?

Principle:  God wants His children to be strong, brave and obey his Word.

1 Kings 2 – Solomon's Kingdom Established 

Before David died he gave advice to Solomon.  David knew Solomon would be tested as king and that it would require great strength and courage.  He told him to be strong and to observe what the Lord requires.  He should walk in His ways and keep His commands so he would prosper in all he does and wherever he goes. 

Do you teach your children to be strong, brave and obey God’s Word?

What is the source or your strength?

Do you tend to follow the crowd and the ways of the world?

Will you ask God to give you the will and determination to obey His Word?

David wanted Solomon to begin his reign with justice.  He should be wise in dealing with Joab, who killed 2 commanders of Israel’s army.  He didn’t mention that Joab also killed his brother, Absalom.  David knew Joab had made sacrifices for David over the years, but he also knew he was violent and ruthless.  David told him to be kind to those who had helped him. 

Then David died.  He reigned for 40 years over Israel, 7 years in Hebron and 33 in Jerusalem.  David started out as a shepherd and ended up as a king.  He was a sinner.  We can all identify with David.  Even though he knew God and tried to obey His commands he was only human and he sinned often, but always repented.  He was buried in the City of David currently known as Jerusalem.

Adonijah went to Bathsheba and ask her to ask King Solomon to give Abishog the Shunammite as his wife.  Abishog was the concubine of David’s who chosen to keep him warm in his old age and now that David was dead, he wanted her as his wife.  This was a way for him to build a claim on Solomon’s throne.  Bathsheba agreed and went to Solomon.  Solomon knew exactly what he was trying to do.  Because of Adonijah request, he was executed.  Adonijah probably thought Solomon was young and inexperienced and wouldn’t to kill him as previously promised, but he found out that Solomon was a leader who did exactly what he said he would do.

Abiathar the priest deserve death because he supported Adonijah as the next king, but Solomon showed mercy and wisdom to him by not putting him to death as this time.  He removed him from the priesthood and exiled him.  Joab heard of this and like Adonijah fled to the tent of the Lord and held on to the altar.  Joab would not leave the altar so Solomon had him executed there.

Shimei was associated with King Saul and was a threat to the house of David.  David had instructed Solomon to allow Shimei to live in peace so he was placed under house arrest.  If he left, he would die.  Shimei abused Solomon’s mercy.  When 2 of his servants ran off to Gath, he went to search for them.  Solomon heard of this, gave the order to kill him because he had broke their agreement.  Now all the conspirators were dead and Solomon’s kingdom was firmly established in his hands.  This shows the fulfillment God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and would be ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.

Solomon showed great wisdom by not killing these men immediately.  He first tested them to see if they were loyal.  After they broke their promises, then they were killed.

When have you broken a promise that caused you consequences?

Would others consider you wise?

1 Chronicles 22 and 29 – Solomon Builds the Temple

David’s desire was to have a permanent place to worship the Lord, but the Lord would not let him build the temple.  Instead his son, Solomon was to build it.  David prayed for Solomon and encouraged him to trust God.  He gave Solomon the plans the Lord had revealed to him as to how to build the temple.  God’s work would be done according to His pattern in His way in His perfect timing.  David led by example by giving gold, silver, iron, wood, onyx, all kinds of stones and marble to be used in the temple.  He asked his leaders and the people to also give what they could.  The people gave joyfully and sacrificially.

Are you so full of gratitude that it overflows in your giving to His work?

Do you give of your time, talents, money, and energies?

David praised the Lord saying He was the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and for His greatness in heaven and earth.  He is head over all and ruler of all things.  He has strength and power and gives strength to all.

The 1^st time Solomon was anointed king by David to stop Adonijah.  Now he was publicly acknowledged as King of Israel.  The people gave sacrifices and offerings to the Lord.  Solomon sat on the throne of his father David.  He prospered and all Israel obeyed him.  All the officers and mighty men as well as all of David’s sons pledged their submission to King Solomon.  The Lord exalted Solomon and bestowed royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.

Have you pledged your submission to King Jesus?

If not, what is keeping you from it?

Next time we will continue our study of 1 Kings.  Hope to see you here.

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